Creative Spin on In-Flight Safety Videos

Every time we fly, we hear the common safety instructions before the plane taxis down the runway. Usually, people are reading their celebrity mags, making last-minute texts or sound asleep. Flyers have become so accustomed to the safety video that it’s easy for them to tune it out. Hopefully we don’t find ourselves in a situation that requires performing the safety procedures. Whether or not everyone knows what to do in an emergency will depend upon how well they paid attention to the in-flight safety video. Airline crews can only hope people are paying attention because in an emergency, being prepared may save a person’s life.

It’s interesting to see how Air New Zealand and Delta have taken a creative spin on their in-flight safety videos in a way to engage the flyer and show them something a little bit different than what they typically see. In Air New Zealand’s case, they have partnered with the promotion of the movie — The Hobbit. It’s a clever way to integrate marketing with an important safety message and turn something rather dry into an entertaining piece. For Hobbit fans, Air New Zealand can be sure that they won’t mind seeing the safety video more than once since it’s full of references to the characters in the story.

Delta has taken a more subtle approach with their safety videos by injecting bits of humor while maintaining their brand presence throughout. There are different versions of the safety video with subtle differences to keep it interesting for flyers each time they fly. So subtle are the differences, you may not notice Abraham Lincoln in the background (3:11) while the features of the safety vest are being demonstrated.

These safety videos are great examples of solving a problem with a creative solution. Often it can be difficult to see something done a different way, especially when its been presented one way for a long time and accepted as the norm. By being different, they stand out and will likely get flyers to watch the safety instructions without getting bored. Though the presentation may be light-hearted, the message is serious and in this case, the way it’s presented is more likely to leave an impression upon the viewer.